Floyd Mayweather, Marcos Maidana in fine form for rematch

Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrives at a Los Angeles press conference for his upcoming rematch with Marcos Maidana. The two will fight in Las Vegas on Sept. 13 at the MGM Grand Hotel. (Photo by Gene Blevins/LA DailyNews)

Floyd Mayweather Jr. faces off with Marcos Maidana on July 17, 2014, at a Los Angeles press conference. (Photo by Gene Blevins/LA DailyNews)

Floyd Mayweather doesn’t normally give second chances. He provides one opportunity, dominates and then moves on.

Not with Marcos Maidana.

Mayweather has agreed to a rematch with Maidana, whom he fought just over a year ago. The two took shots at each during Thursday’s second stop of a promotional tour for the scheduled Sept. 13 bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“Mayhem,” as it is being called, will be for Mayweather’s World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association welterweight titles.

“I was a little surprised that he gave me a rematch,” said Maidana, who gave Mayweather all he could handle last May. “He doesn’t normally do that. He’s only done that one other time in his career. But he gave it to us and it surprised me.”

Mayweather pulled out a majority decision over Maidana, but it was hotly contested and was perhaps the most difficult outing of Mayweather’s career.

And, if anything, Maidana said he learned at least one lesson from the undefeated Mayweather.

“I do think he is a little bit of a dirty fighter,” Maidana said. “See his fights and he likes to use his elbows. His favorite move is to put his elbow in the fighter’s throat. For some reason, the referee lets him get away with it.”

Mayweather was his usual confident self, having enjoyed the evening before at the ESPY’s award show. He has said he is on the tail end of his career, with just a handful of bouts left on his current contract.

“I know what it took to get to where I am at,” Mayweather said. “I love being in this position. I don’t just like it, I love it. I didn’t get here by doing a thousand interviews or a bunch of red carpets. I got to this place in my career by waking up at 3 a.m. and running eight miles or hearing voices that are telling me he can beat me or that I don’t deserve any of this.

“I hear the other voice, of my mother, telling me that I am special and that I am here for a reason.”

Eventually, both fighters Thursday got to talking about the controversy surrounding the gloves selected for the first fight.

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Maidana’s comments lately have rubbed Mayweather the wrong way. Mayweather insisted on a change of gloves just prior to the first fight, saying there wasn’t enough padding in the gloves.

“No wonder he has got so many knockouts,” Mayweather said. “He is strong, yeah, but nothing I’ve never felt before. Look, if you beat me, then beat me the honest way. Earn it the right way.”

Maidana said he and his team will continue to push for the gloves of his choice, which, again, hasn’t sat well with Mayweather.

“Look, they wanted a rematch and I gave it to them,” Mayweather said. “Don’t get out here and complain about the gloves. If they feel they won the first fight with those gloves, don’t change to the other gloves. If they feel they won the first fight with those gloves, then win it again with those same gloves.”